Wishing you and yours a joyful and blessed Thanksgiving…
And, very special thanks to all of you for your support, encouragement and input as I continue the outcry over financial and governmental ethical issues and seek to hold those responsible accountable.
I‘m especially grateful for my family who are such strong supporters of the work I do.
There is much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving – health, family, friends…
Since last year at this time much has happened to impact the path I’m on.
Last year at Thanksgiving, positive moves started with the award for the Outstanding Case Study on Anti-Corruption, given by the United Nations Compact Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and Giving Voice to Values (GVV): Through the Eyes of a Whistle-Blower. It focused on my former chief underwriter, Sherry Hunt, our struggles with the corruption at Citigroup and what she continued doing after I left Citigroup. The award-winning Kellogg case study is currently in use at universities worldwide in studying ethics, fraud and corruption.
Shortly afterwards I was interviewed on BloombergTV and called for a Congressional investigation into the blatant coverups of my testimony and the violations of law and public trust that I witnessed at the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission. I’m continuing to work to convince Sen. Richard Shelby and Rep. Jeb Hensarling and their colleagues that their respective Senate and House committees need to publicly investigate the documented violations of law which took place at the FCIC. The American public deserves no less.
I’m involved with the National Center for Policy Analysis, serving on their Financial Crisis Initiative. Allen West, NCPA’s President and CEO and I co-authored an op-ed on the financial crisis which debuted in several publications and reinforces the call for a congressional investigation of the FCIC coverups.
And it was an inspiring moment when another op-ed I authored was published in the Congress Blog where I again called for action regarding the malfeasance which has been allowed to occur. I’m hoping some Congressmen and women read my article and that it sparks some conversation.
You’ve probably seen either billboards, or ads, or heard about the Whistle Blow Wall Street campaign. I’m honored to be part of a movement which is asking everyone on Wall Street to pay attention, start talking and start reporting when they see unethical behaviors in their own organizations. This group is also supported by the Government Accountability Project, among others, so I’m in good company.
And it’s been an honor to talk to several groups this year, including the Investment Management Consultants Association and the American Accounting Association’s Annual Ethics Research Symposium, as well as several fraud and ethics conferences sponsored by universities and national trade groups.
There are more surprises planned for this coming year. I’ll keep you informed. It’s been a full, productive and successful year and I’m grateful you were a part of it.
And, as always, my concern for our country keeps me focused on a continuing quest for accountability at all levels of business and government.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Richard
Richard Bowen is widely known as the Citigroup whistleblower. As Business Chief Underwriter for Citigroup during the housing bubble financial crisis meltdown, he repeatedly warned Citi executive management and the board about fraudulent behavior within the organization. The company certified poor mortgages as quality mortgages and sold them to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other investors.
Thank you, Richard Bowen, for your courage and your integrity. Those two qualities seem increasingly difficult to find being actively demonstrated in business and in politics. You make it possible to retain some modest measure of hope and that is a gift to be thankful for, indeed.